Please Help - Statutory Maternity Pay or Maternity Allowance

GettingThere6417

Hi - Firstly a big thank you to anyone who can provide advice to my query.

About Me -
I am currently 23 weeks pregnant and employed (been in job 2.5 years). I work full time and have a salary in excess of £30,000. My baby due end of November.


Job Problem -
For the past two months my job has become unbelievably stressful and a living hell due to something that is not at all my fault and although my job is 'safe', there are changes being made to my role which is going to make work life even more difficult for me before I start maternity leave in early November and also when I return back to work in 2015 :mad:

On top of this I had a shock when my dad had to have emergency brain surgery three weeks ago and is going to need further surgery within the next eight weeks. Oh and I'm exhausted and suffer from the usual pregnancy illnesses as well as little panic attacks every few days

So I am just at my limit and I want to leave my job. My health and my family are far more important. I also do not have the mental or physical energy to put up with more hassle from work. I just want out.


Which Pay? -
What I need help with please is whether I am entitled to Statutory Maternity Pay, Maternity Allowance or neither? This is why I am confused:

Statutory Maternity Pay - I *think* I read on the .gov.uk website that if I leave work (or change jobs) within 15 weeks of my due date than my employer has to pay me Statutory Maternity Pay. Next week (on 11th August I think) is my 15th week before my due date. Does this mean that if I hand my leave notice after 11th August that I will be paid all of my statutory maternity pay?

Maternity Allowance - I used the calculator on .gov.uk website and put in that I WASN'T working and my salary details over the past year. It came out that I would be entitled to maternity allowance - however I wondered whether I wouldn't be entitled if I purposely made myself unemployed by handing in my notice this week?

And if it is the case that I am entitled to both options of Statutory Maternity Pay and the Maternity Allowance - which is the best option for me? Hand in my notice this week and get Maternity Allowance or hand in my notice next week and get entitlement of Statutory Maternity Pay from my employer?

Also there was some other thing about getting 90% of pay for first six weeks?? But that just confuses me even more!


Thank you so much for any advice that you can provide, I am very grateful.

Bluemeanie_2

Hello my advice would be do not hand your notice in now. I would go off on maternity leave at the earliest opportunity (11 weeks before your expected week of delivery) so if you can hang in there for another 6 weeks? (I bet your notice period is at least a month so it's only 2 extra weeks?) or if you can't cope get a sick note, stay off as long as the Dr will sign you for, then if you are still off sick 4 weeks before your expected week of delivery your mat leave will automatically kick in.

Take the full year off and hand in your notice giving the appropriate notice that you contractually have, exactly the amount of time before your year is up. My reason for doing this is, you will continue to accrue your holiday pay while you are on mat leave so in your last pay you should get a wedge to see you through for a while. Also you may change your mind while your away, or want to go back part time or on a job share. All I'm saying is keep your options open.
You can still leave but you may as well do it with an extra months holiday pay in your pocket?

The 90% thing is! for the first 6 weeks of your maternity pay you are paid 90% of your average wage. The following 33 weeks are paid at the current statutory maternity amount and the final 12 weeks are unpaid.

All the best with it. Hope you're ok.

GettingThere6417

Hi thanks for the feedback.

I could go off sick (I get six weeks paid sick leave) although I need to give eight weeks notice if I wish to change the date of my maternity leave start date (I think - I need to check).

Whilst financially it's sensible to stay there as long as possible to accrue holiday, I just don't think I can or want to do it. I don't want to go into specifics about my job but there was a incident in a different department and my name has been dragged through the mud at work for something that has absolutely nothing to do with me - the directors are looking for someone other than themselves to blame because it looks bad on them in front of out trustees.
I just don't want the finger pointed at me any more and would rather walk away, but I didn't know whether I am better off holding out for SMP by handing in my noticed next week or leaving now and taking/being entitled to maternity allowance.